Interior Design, Decorating and Color Selection. I specialize in downsizing homes for clients.
See Our Website

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Fall Sweep

Well, it's here again, the wonderfully warm days followed by chilly nights. In a word…Fall...Autumn…or no more summer! (OK, that's 3 words, but you get the idea!) The garden is giving up it's last efforts and we're feeling as if we need to start nesting.

Airedale at Work

So what's this to do with the current post? Well, I was looking out the window the other day, trying to anyway, the windows were filthy! So, I thought it may be an opportune time to bring up window cleaning. Not just any window cleaning…..GREEN window cleaning with just water.

Several, oh all right, about 15 years ago, I received a catalog in the mail for those clever organizing and storage products one just can't live without. So I ordered one of them. The sales lady on the order line (I know, on the telephone, right?) asked if I knew about the new Miracle Cloths. Of course, knowing I was about to get pitched a product, I said no thank you. The lady stopped me to tell me about these little gems. I bought them and have been hooked since!

So now mircofiber cloths are all the rage and all of them will do the job, but I still prefer my colorful Miracles (no paid endorsement either!) So how to use them effectively?

Confused lady via Google

This is the best part! I'm a cheapskate of the biggest type. I don't keep rags around the house and I hate using paper towels for cleaning. Newspaper never seemed clean enough. I mean, who uses paper with black printing that comes off when you hold it in your hand? I also can't stand using window cleaner that is so caustic it has a whole label of just warnings. The cloths just use water. Wait, I'll say it again, THE CLOTHS JUST USE WATER! I'll wet one, wring it out and use it to wash the window. I then use the dry one to polish it up, even in full sunlight! I use the wax on, wax off method from The Karate Kid movie. (In case you've never seen the movie, one hand has the damp one, the other hand has the dry one, polish back and forth like a windmill.) Voila! Sparkly windows inside & out! Works great on mirrors too with no cleaners.

Now that's just too much work!

I use them with the greener disinfectant cleaners in areas that need sanitizing, throw them in the wash and they're good to go again. Of note, the fibers that make up these cloths are teeny, tiny spun polyester fibers woven together into fabric. You know what happens when polyester comes into contact with heat. Fizzz! Instant plastic, so keep them out of the dryer and air dry them. To be completely honest, a few have made it into the dryer on occasion,they still work, but they are not as absorbent. I keep a couple in the car which BTW work beautifully to clean it as well!So there you have it, my green window cleaning secret using just water. Good for the environment, good for time management, a win-win if there ever was one!

No comments:

Post a Comment

About Me

My name is Michelle Raymond and I've been in the design field for over 25 years. I love design and incorporating beautiful things into everyday life. Design work is my passion.
I specialize in the selection of the perfect color, artwork and accessories for a space. One of my services I enjoy most is helping people downsize their homes; incorporating old cherished pieces into their new space while adding in new, modern twists.